Doug Miller had been trying to lose weight for many years, but it was only when his employer got involved that he began to see results.

Now when the McCarthy Building Cos. project manager finishes his dinner, he no longer retreats to the couch and clicks on the TV. Instead he embarks on a six-mile walk with his wife. When he is on the job site of the $1 billion rebuild of Kaiser’s 12-story flagship Oakland Medical Center, Miller takes the stairs whenever possible instead of riding the lift. He now eats healthier food in smaller portions, lifts weights, swims and hikes regularly.

The work is paying off. Over a seven-week stretch last spring, Miller lost 32 pounds. He no longer has to take pills for high blood pressure. His cholesterol is at an all-time low. “I have 10 more pounds to lose to hit the weight I was in college,” said Miller.

Miller could not have accomplished what he has without hard work and discipline. But more than anything he credits McCarthy Building’s Build For Life program, an initiative that uses a combination of financial incentives and workplace camaraderie to encourage healthy eating, exercise and preventive medicine.

As a construction company, McCarthy aims to keep workers safe on job sites. Now the employee-owned firm is also emphasizing nutrition, exercise, medical screenings and mental health. “On construction projects, our approach has been to invest a significant effort up front to prevent issues before they occur,” said President and Chief Operating Officer Derek Glanvill. “Our Build for Life program further expands this focus.”

The program started in 2010. The first year was aimed at increasing participation in preventive care visits, biometic screenings and health risk assessments. Employees win points for getting physical checkups, eye exams, teeth cleaning, and keeping current on cholesterol and blood pressure levels. Employees who earned the maximum number of points save $400 a year off health insurance costs, with spouses or partners enrolled in the program eligible for another $400 in premium reduction. The company closed out the first year with 75 percent of employees participating and 64 percent earning all available incentive points. The percentage of employees getting flu shots and biometric screenings rose from 37 percent to 54 percent.

Last year the focus expanded to “activity challenges.” Employees received a free pedometer and used an online step tracking program to log daily steps. More than 50 percent of employees participated in the program, logging 222,775,416 steps. Employees win points for participating in charity walks, running races, and bike tours.

The company had a weight loss competition, ranked on percentage of body weight lost. In total, 90 Bay Area employees dropped a combined 600 pounds. Employees put money into a pot; the winning male and female employees got about $1,000. The winner dropped 30 pounds in 7.5 weeks, about 15 percent of his weight (Miller’s percentage was lower).

“He took the money he won and bought new clothes — there is no turning back now,” said Monique Renard, who heads the program.

Those who earn the most points are dubbed “wellness champions,” representing different geographies and positions — staff, manager, director to vice president. McCarthy employees both encourage and try to outdo one another. “It’s a competitive group — once you get one person energized, you are going to get your whole job site energized,” said Renard. The goal is to reduce the company’s health care costs, she said.

Miller looks forward to the weekly weigh-ins. “I was already determined to lose weight, but had been trying to do that for years without success,” he said.